Black-out window shade



Jan. 4, 1944. L HARDY 2,338,378

BLACKOUT WINDOW SHADE Filed June 5, 1942 spring I1.

Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- BLACK-OUT wmnow SHADE Hubert L. Hardy, Chicago, 111., asslgnor to Westv 1- cm Shade Cloth Company, Ghicago,lll., a parti1 nership Application June 5, 1942, Serial No. 445,894

11 Claims.' (01. 160-242) This invention relates to blackout window shades and has for its principal object to provide a simple device that can be quickly and accurately installed on the window frame or casing and that will automatically cleave to the face of the window frame or casing and thus effectively seal the window opening against the leakage of light. I

The best form that has thus far been devised is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the upper part of a window casing with the blackout shade installed thereon and in raised position;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the 2-2 of Fi l;

Figs. 3 and 4 are front elevationson a-reduced scale, illustrating steps in arranging the shade for a blackout;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation looking at Fig. 4 from the left;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the lower portion of the shade and associated parts when the shade is in drawn position.

But this specific illustration and the corresponding description are used for the purpose of disclosure only and are not intended to impose unnecessary limitations on the claims.

The device is shown in connection with a fa miliar form of wooden window casing, including a top piece or transom I and spaced side pieces II, rising from a window sill I2 which parts together frame or enclose the window opening, which is to be shaded or darkened.

'Il window shade, generally indicated by I3, is of black opaque material, such as suitably treated cloth, or paper. One end of the shade, which will be called the upper end, is fastened to a conventional form of spring roller I4, having in one end a hollow or bore I to receive a nonrotatable shaft or spindle I6 and a long helical One end of the spring is made fast to the roller and the other end is made fast to the shaft, whereby when the roller is rotated in one direction, namely, that corresponding to the unrolling movement of the shade, the spring 'is put under tension and prepared to rotate the roller in the opposite direction and rewind the shade when that is desired. The arrangement is familiarQand many forms are available, for example, that disclosed in the patent to Hartshorn, No. 293,871 of February 19, 1884.

The projecting end of the shaft or spindle I1 is flattened, as indicated at I8, by means of which the shaft is held against rotation in a suitable bracket that also supports the corresponding end of the roller.

The opposite end of the roller is provided with a round trunnion or pintle I9, which rotates in a suitable bracket and supports the corresponding end of the roller.

line

In this instance the roller is mounted-on "a bar 20 by means of two metal brackets 2 land 22;- The bracket 2| has an oblong. opening 23, to. receive the flattened end I8 of the shaft 16 and the bracket 22 has a round opening 24 to receive the trunnion I9.

The bar 20 is flat oblong in cross section, as shown in Fig. 2, and on the inner side, or that side near the transom l0,is provided with two supporting brackets 25, each of which has an opening 26 in its fixed end to receive a flathead screw 21 and a relatively large opening or eye 28 in the opposite or free end to receivean L-shaped tassel-hook 29, two of which are inserted in the transom I0 of the window frame in position to hold the shade I'3 in proper alignment with the window opening. r

Adjacent to the lower, or free end of the shade, it is folded and stitched at 30 to form a hollow sleeve, or loop 3|, adapted to receive a slat 32- long enough to project at each side of the shade and engage two L-shaped tassel-hooks 33, one .of which is inserted in each side piece II just far: enough above the sill I2 to permit the slat tofit snugly between the hook and the top of the sill. I

Extending beyond the sleeve, or loop 3|, is an' apron 34, long enough to overlie the window sill and hang down below it, as shown in Figs. 3-6. The apron ends in another sleeve or loop, 35 formed by folding over the edge portion of the shade and stitching it at 36. This sleeve serves as acarrier for another slat 31 which, when the shade is drawn as shown in Fig. 5, is removed from the sleeve and engaged with still two other; L-shaped tassel-hooks 38, inserted one' in each side piece II, at about the middle of the window. opening.

The work of installation consists of inserting-,1 the six tassel-hooks, the' upper two of which; should be four inches or more above thebotj tom of the transom I0 of the window frame, and should be so located as to align the shade and;

fixture with the window opening so that when the shade is lowered it will overlap each side piece I l a corresponding and appropriate amount."

The distance A, in Fig. 2, should be n'otmorethan, and preferably less than the radius of the unrolled rtion of the shade when it is fully drawn, as shown in Fig. 5, and the upper: tassel-hooks 29 should afford free pivotal movement of the brackets 25. With that arrange-:- ment, when the shade is drawn downwardly, the roll of shade on the roller will be automatically forced against the front face of the transom I0 and make a proper seal at the upper'portion of, the window. Various other forms of mountin will be readily designed by those skilled in the art to effect this purpose.

The slat 32 is not tapered, as is conventional in window shades, but has gently rounded sides 39 and more sharply rounded edge 40. When the shade ,is drawn down to the position shown in Fig. 5, the slat and its enclosing sleeve-are turned upwardly edgewise, as best shown in Fig. 6, while the tassel-hooks 33 have their ends turned upwardly, after which the hook are screwed down to place the hook portions 4| downa'long fl side the ends of the slat 3! andsnugagainst its outer face 39. As a result, .the openings made by the stitching 30 will b sealed an the lower portion of the shade will be forced into close contact with the lower ends of the side pieces II and the upper surface of the sill 12 The apron 34 will naturally overlie the sill [2, as shown, and seal the bottom of the window opening. 'The slat 3.1 is withdrawn from th leeve 85 and :engaged with the intermediately placed tassel-hooks 38, which are screwed. up to make the hook portions 42 snugly embrace the ends of the slat and force the intermediate portion of the shade against the faces of the side pieces -I I. The side edges 43 of the slat 37' are preferably made flat, to give abroad area for a contact withthe shade.

I claim- 1. In a device of the class-described, a shade, a roller to which the shade is attached at one end and upon which it may be rolled, abar from which the shade roller is suspended at its ends, suspending pivotal supports for the bar inward with respect to the axis of the roller, whereby the roller and shade are automatically forced inwardly against a window frame on which the device is mounted.

2. In a device of the :class described, a shade, a roller to which one end of the shade is attached and upon which the shade may be rolled, a bar, means to suspend the roller from the bar ferrotation, means swingably suspending thebar located inwardly with respect to the axis of the roller, whereby the roller and shade are automatically swung inwardly, and a slat attached to the shade adjacent to the lower end thereof and by which it may be made fast in drawn position.

3. In a device of the class described, a shade, a roller on which the shade is adapted to be rolled, a bar from which the shade roller is suspended for rotation, means at one side of the axis of the roller for hanging the bar on a window frame, whereby tension on the shade will swing the roll of shade on th roller towards the window frame, a loop in the shadeadjacent to. its free end, a slat in the loop for securing it to the window frame adjacent to the sill and an apron extending beyond the loop to overlie the sill.

4. Means for hanging a blackout window shade comprising a bar having depending brackets at its ends for mounting a shade roller and having upstanding supporting brackets provided with openings above the rear edge of the bar for hanging the bar from hooks mounted in a window frame.

5. Means for hanging a blackout window shade wound on a roller comprising a bar narrower than the diameter of the roller and having depending brackets for mounting the roller with the axis of the roller in substantially the median plane of the bar and having supporting bracketsv upstanding from the rear edge of the bar, whereby when said supporting brackets are engaged with bearings positioned close to the surface of a window frame the shade will automatically swing into engagement with such surface.

6. Means for hanging a blackout window shade wound on a roller comprising a bar narrower than "the diameter of the roller and having depending brackets for mounting the roller with the axis of the roller in substantially the median plane of the bar and having supporting brackets upstanding from the rear edge of the bar provided with openings for receiving hooks mounted in a window frame, whereby when said supporting brackets are held by said hooks close to the surface of a window frame the shade will automatically swing into engagement with such surface 7. Means for hanging a blackout' window shade wound on a roller comprising a bar, supporting brackets upstanding from the bar-and having por+ tions above the rear edge of the bar engageable by bearings positioned close to the surface ofa window frame so as to hang the bar, and brackets depending from the bar for mounting said roller, the periphery of the portion of the shade at any time wound on the roller in normal use of the device projecting rearwardly beyond the plane of the bearing-receiving portions Of the upstanding brackets, whereby the shade will automatically swing into engagement with the surface of the window frame.

8. In a device of the class described, a shade, means mounting the upper end of the shade on and against a window frame, a loop in the shade adjacent to its lower end, a slat in said loop, means for securing said slat together with its loop against said window frame adjacent to the sill thereof, and an apron extending beyond the loop and overlying the sill.

9. In a device of the class described, a shade. means mounting the upper end of the shade on and against a window frame, a loop in the shade adjacent to its lower end, a slat in said loop, hooks in the window frame and engageable with said slat to hold the loop against the window frame adjacent to the sill thereof, and an apron extending beyond the loop and overlying the sill.

10. In a device of the class described, a shade, means mounting the upper end of the shade on and against a window frame, a loop in the shade adjacent to its lower end, a slat in said loop, means for securing said slat together with its loop against said window frame adjacent to thesill thereof, an apron extending beyond the loop and overlying the sill, and means to assist in maintaining the margins of the shade against the window frame comprising a second slat in combination with means mounted in the frame between the upper and lower ends of the shade for holding said second slat against the shade and clamping the shade against the frame.

11. The device claimed in claim 9, in which the loop is hinged to the shade alon a line of stitching and hangs free from the shade by said stitch-' ing and in which the hooks are tassel-hooks ca pable of being turned in the Window frame,

whereby the loop may be positioned and then held by said hooks in either suspended or upturned position.

HUBER'I L. HARDY.

Patent No. 2,558,578,-

CERTIFI GATE OF CORRECT]: ON

' January )4, 191414.

HUBERT L. HARDY- It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the abo ve numbered patent requiring correc-tion-asfoilows': Page 2, first column, line 51, claim 1, for the words "suspndihg pivotal supports for" read -and pivotal su ports suspehdingand that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein. that the sanie may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of February, A. D. 191m.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) p Acting Gommissionerof Patents. 

